Left has victimised Bengal Hindus: BJP

Press Trust of India
Kolkata, January 21

The BJP on Tuesday alleged that the Hindu community in West Bengal was a victim of vote bank politics of 'pseudo-secular' forces under Left Front rule.

"We want to make people aware that Hindus have been victims of vote bank politics by so called secular forces," party state president Tathagata Roy told newspersons.

"Hindus in West Bengal, particularly those who were forced to come as refugees during the Bangladesh War, have been the most tortured ones in the country," he alleged.

While BJP did not have an agenda for a 'Hindu Rashtra', as being propagated by RSS and VHP, the party would call for a "re-awakening of the Hindus in the state to realise that they are the victims of the vote bank politics", Roy said.

On VHP general secretary Pravin Togadia's reported statement on making Gujarat a Hindu state, Roy said "VHP or RSS are different organisations having their own views. BJP has never pursued such an ideology."

He, however, said that RSS and VHP were both 'nationalist organisations' and helped in promoting nationalistic fervour.

Asked whether BJP would bring these issues to the fore during the forthcoming panchayat polls in the state, he said "panchayat elections are fought mainly on local issues".

BJP, he said, has held preliminary talks with Trinamool Congress for a possible electoral alliance and would finalise the proceedings after the poll announcement was made.